Well this is actually kinda shitty because random people who are in the market for new gaming headset will watch all of the past (pre-HP aqcuisition) positive reviews,. They'll think that they actually get the Kingston-manufactured Cloud Alpha 2 when in reality they get a cheapened, cut corner, lesser, inferior version.. I almost fell into the trap, thank god I love to research a lot products I want to buy. and thank you for this video.
this is exactly what happened to me, what pretty disappointed when i actually received it but oh well. it’s been almost 2 years now and i still use it just wish i knew it wasn’t the old model.
I found this video precisely after falling for the scam myself. I cannot see how selling a product under the guise of another wouldn't be fraud, yet here we are.
i fell for it 6 months ago, both sides the plastic belt buckles already teared and now i cannot adjust my headset. its the biggest size and it pisses me off unironicly. thxs hp!
0:58 To me it seems like a really _obvious_ place to cut costs. Especially as a pc gamer, you're most likely never going to use the bag 99,99% of the time. And if you happen to attend a LAN, you probably forget packing the bag :' )
You should swap the earpads and see whether this is the reason for the difference in sound. If not, it has to do with some internal changes to the driver or to the housing. But changing the material the housing is made from cannot possibly ruin the bass response - worst case scenario it can only increase it by adding its own resonance. The earpads on the other hand is the biggest factor in the bass response of a headphone, along with the presence of an airflow opening on the outside of the cup.
I went from my HyperX Cloud after 7 years of use to the new Cloud II and tested it with the same earpads. It sounds totally the same 🤷🏻♂️ But instead of the usb soundcard I use my internal PCIe soundcard. In my eyes it’s still a great headset
I will have to disagree, I've owned the old one and now the new one and I think the new ones are better, they have a super good price for what you get, build quality is great, headset is comfortable and light in a good way to wear, and sound is just as pinpoint and good as the old ones.
@@thothtrismegistus929 hi1 bought it in my local saturn ( kind of bad e.store.. ) here in cologne. i have to say it was at a discount, they sell them now for 69.99euronas i think...! But i have to say for the sound given, they are worth even 70 euros imo.
I bought a pair to replace my Kingston ones which had lasted since 2015 and immediately thought I had been sold a knockoff pair, side by side the difference in quality is very noticeable. Now after 3 months normal use the new pair are already falling apart and stopped working in one ear. Such a shame as the old ones were such great value for money!
@@BaxTechYT Yeah its a real disappointment! I managed to fix the problem by replacing the speaker from my old set. Naturally they kept the price the same 😂
@@BaxTechYT i bought a hyper x cloud 2 wireless pair like a few months ago and from the first week i noticed that every few hours the sound just disappears for like 5-10 seconds and sometimes theres a really high pitched sound
Agreed i will NEVER be buying a headset from HyperX again and i even left them a complaint on there Reddit which they reached out to me but my next pair of headphones will be far better anyway i have almost every product from HyperX but there headsets SUCK now!
i got hyperx cloud II from 6 years ago, they still work, i did tried multiple headsets brands like: Bose, sony, razer, steelseries, but none came close to my headsets
Mine still work but the soft plastic coating got really sticky after 2 years of use, and it was a pain in the ass removing it, and then the fake leather of the pads and headband started to fall of in tiny pieces and everytime I touched them or put them on I got hundreds of tiny black dots around my ears and hair. Now I had to glue the earpads because they fall of very easily. I would say that the build quality is complete shit.
@@liousevropaecvstos7711 yeah idk what to say about this, i had issues only with the ear pads which i just changed, other than that.. i still use same hyperx cloud II headsets, working well but sometimes my jack from the hub does mess with me sometimes. whenever i move headsets' cable it has a chance of interrupting my sound (the mic works well, i just can't hear). i might swap them for some Philips Fidelio X2HR headsets and use the mic from v-moda, boom pro and see how this combo will work
I had to send my originals in for a replacement because they broke, and unfortunately they replaced them with the HP brand. The bass on the HP brand is not there, like at all
Man the wire broke on my Kingston cloud II and i instantly bought a new pair but I'm disappointed with the new sound quality such a shame my old ones lasted me like 5 years
Dang that is a huge bummer. If you want to revive your old ones, you can look up a guide on how to replace the cable. Just make sure you’re comfortable with soldering!
I recently refunded a pair of the new Cloud II wireless. The sound is just not the same at all. Kingston had such an amazing pair of wireless gaming headsets at such a great price point, and HP just MURDERED it. If all you play is fps then the new ones are fine, probably better. If you enjoy listening to literally ANY other sounds besides gunshots, the old Kingston ones were just sublime.
Absolutely. I had the Cloud 2 for years, and loved them always. Man I really didn't realize how good they are. I have gone through several headphones in the past 2 years and non of them came even close, despite the fact that some of em were 500$ or more.
No matter how much I love old cloud 2s there is very important thing to consider. Because of that rubberised plastic old headphones tend to decay after 3-4 years. I own 2 pairs one from 2017 and one 2018 and both of them feel very sticky. I even tried to wash them with isopropyl alcohol and it did not help 😕 thus I think that plastic in new hyperxs might actually be an upgrade
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
I bought a pair in Sep 29 2018 (Kingston branded), and had the control board on the surround virtualizer crap out (never did buy a new controller board), so I went with another brand. Now that the other brand has broken where it never should have, i've plugged these in, and have a wire going bad or some sort. This pair was always a golden pair for me, and I absolutely loved the cloth earpads that aren't used in the headset anymore. I'm glad to see this review on the new edition, though. Thank you for the informed review!
@AZAN-SHEIKH I personally haven't tried the newer version of this headset that this video covers. And haven't researched what headsets are available. If it's something you feel informed on and may be withing means of budget, it might be. But stay aware 😊
I totally disagree. There are some changes, but there is no problem in using it at all. What's also really absurd is that the sound quality hasn't changed at all. I have both models and use them interchangeably, but I don't notice any difference. The ear cups that come with the Kingston version are so uncomfortable that I'll either throw them away with the mesh bag or they'll sit in a corner somewhere. It's not annoying because there's no mesh bag.
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
Luckily I have the old one. I bought my first cloud 2 back in 2016, then after 1 years my left audio went mute, I couldnt hear anything, they told me it was something with the cable. Hyperx warranty replaced the entire headphone for me and gave me a new one. I havent had an issue ever since. Only the leatherette started peeling off but the other day I bough a replacement pair of leatherette ear cushions and they fit perfectly. Everytime I put this headset on Im amazed on how good it sounds. I forgot to say, Hyperx also replaced an entire keyboard for me, the alloy elite rgb, just because on keycap broke. Kingston customer support is amazing, I had only good experiences with it, and the products are solid, I would recommend them to everyone.
I have the Cloud II. Within a year the padding around the ears and headband started peeling off. Within two years the plastic around the mic jag started to feel sticky and kind of peel as well. They're OK money to value, but I wouldn't recommend buying these, either old or new, if you want a durable gaming headset.
I have the Kingston produced and that's what happened to mine! It's not like I use them daily either. I tried the fabric pads that were included, but those let in way too much background noise and actually started irritated my skin. I thought about using one of those seatbelt shoulder pad things to wrap around the headband at least, but why even bother? These will be my last headset from them!
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
Same issues carried onto the wireless version, Kingston is full and immersive, HP is narrow and tinny. Both have the same plastic housing so it's more likely HP is cutting corners on something internal or the speaker itself. HP needs to start losing money on their HyperX purchase.
Bought new X2 Wireless to replace my old X2 (which has lasted for 5 years no trouble and still works), and the difference is stark. Tin can sound. No "real" 7.1 surround sound anymore, only emulated. Worse build quality. No replacement ear muffs. Simply awful. I will be returning these and buying something else.
@@loganmedia4401 from what I've read, the old Kingston build had twice the speakers in each ear than the new HP build does. I play a lot of pubg where directional sound is important, and the "new" surround sound barely works for that purpose. :(
I use the pre HP one for sim racing, endurance racing mostly hours of sweat and they never died on me. They still work but are very worn out. I bought a new pair since they where on sale, this time the HP version. The plastic started to break with one year of very light use (I'm not gaming as much). They are still getting sales from past reputation.
Hey brother! FaceXFootStyle here - been a while my friend! I randomly had a thought about you today and scoured the internet for your tech review page and finally found it! Glad to see you're doing well and hopefully we can sneak in a few overwatch games sometime soon!
Curious thing, I did some tests and have completely different results. Microphones seem to have no difference for my brands. Output, yeah some minor difference but I had to listen very carefully. What I noticed when plugging into the exact same USB slot, it (HP) set the settings to default. Edit: Compared to the cable Stinger's output I agree with you regarding the sound output
just got the HP ones today thinking it was the kingston ones lol, they sound pretty good though as per me and my friends when we tried them outside the store, i put on the velour pads and so far they seem good. will update this comment if anything bad comes up
how do you like them? i still have the kingston cloud 2 from like 2 and half years ago, and i genuinely don’t know if i can still recommend these. any updates? appreciate it
@@zhila5958 i like them, they're comfortable, sound good and even better in 7.1 surround the height adjustment is a bit loose and can get knocked out of the setting i set them to but that's just an ocd thing on my part as i don't notice anything wrong when wearing them i didn't own the original ones but those are definetly an upgrade from laptop/monitor speakers or cheap tws earphones pretty positive so far so yeah, been good for me
@@uravggamer6065 looks like i can suggest them to my cousin and best friend. they desperately wanted one of mine for longest time, hell even my 13 year old twin little cousins want one!
Removing the bag makes the most sense as the first thing to do to cut costs. That rubberised plastic always ends up turning into a gooey mess. All it does is give a fake premium feel to the product initially, but long term it is a terrible idea.
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
i have been wondering if this was the case for a bit now. my original cloud ii is still going strong. im actually kinda hurt that they suck now. since the originals could've been basically the only headset you needed for a lifetime. since they were good for both gaming and casually enjoying music.
is this the same case for the Alphas? , my cloud 2s just stopped working and they lasted me 5 years, was looking to just go back to Hyperx but after seeing this I might stray away. Thanks a lot for the informative video.
Did you bought the Alphas? If yes(and if they are the HP ones, should be written somewhere on headband), how are they? I had Alphas since October 2020 and I'm planning on getting them again, but I'm scared of their quality.
Well, I had Cloud Orbit before this and I'm extremely surprised by how good these are for the price. Very comfortable and the sound is pleasant and detailed. In my opinion the build quality is nice too, metal where it counts and I don't want any rubber parts to be collecting dust.
Hp ruins everything they touch. Look at their computer's just trash. A friend had me talked into hyper x headset. I think I'll keep shopping all you had to say was muddy sound that what i want to get away from. Thank you for your review.
I went for Cloud 2 Wireless after Razer Blackshark V2 X and Arctis 3. I really like the build quality and the sound is very nice as well, not as clear as Arctis 3s but better bass and footsteps are easier to locate. Maybe Wireless version is different.
Can you tell me something? The Blackshark has foam earcups doesn't it lose some of the sound (worse isolation) compared to the Leatherette Cloud 2 earcups?
My Kingston Cloud II is about to become junked. The typical fake leather is peeling off the cups and especially the lower sides of the top band. Ridiculous. You have to clean as in wipe them, no? Why have a coating that resists basic cleaning? Yeah, they really do sound superb, even though the optional "7.1" sound through the button is muddy and practically useless for music and games, but the build quality is quite a letdown. I'm not spending $80 and the time to refurbish these when I can simply buy a new headset of my choice. Once bitten, twice shy.
That's really a shame. I've been thinking about buying a pair since before hp bought them. Guess I'll have to keep looking. Damn huge companies trying to do everything they can to scam us.
Big time shame. If you do get a pair, just make sure you can return or exchange them if you don’t like them. The market just has much better options now!
So specs didn’t change. Driver size, mic, everything like that technically remained the same. But the materials used for the driver housings for sure changed. Which caused a pretty major change in sound
Just bought a pair of cloud 2 wireless and I got nervous after checking out your video. So i went back to the homepage where i got them and thankfully the seller said it was Kingston 😃
This video has led me to believe that there was another version of the Cloud II that was Kingston branded but with the HP build. I have a Kingston branded pair bought in late 2021, and all those appearance differences you've pointed out are identical to the HP model on my own. I wonder if HP actually changed anything, or if Kingston made a revision at some point that brought the lower quality before HP ever got their hands on HyperX.
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. And the sound is more balanced.
Hi bro! I found Cloud 2 with a new design from HP, but on the headband printed - "Kingston". The box is also with the old design. Is it worth trying to get them? (sry for my english)
the new cloud 2's are exactly as i would describe my cloud core headset, exactly exactly the same, they are just scamming us by offering a lower budget headset for the price of the higher price... you can try the cloud core and i will pay you, donate, what ever the money for buying the core if they don't sound exactly the same as new cloud 2
I used to have a pair of Cloud II's and loved them (the Kingston ones) I got a pair recently and ended up getting sent the new ones with HP on them not Kingston and they've ruined what used to be my favourite headset!! :/ The sound is muddy, the plastic feels cheaper instead of that rubbery texture they used to have and the highs sound like they're piercing my ears they're so damn loud even when everything else isn't. I'm returning them for a refund.
They ruined my babies. I ordered mine in 2018 after my old CLOUD I's MIC stopped working. Now my Cloud II started breaking and I wanted to buy a new pair but thought to check before I purchase. Thanks for the heads up. You saved me a lot of headache and money. HP ruined a perfect headset. Where the hell am I gonna find another headset with the soft earpads? I can't stand the fake leather ones with noise cancelling. :((((
Conflicting points, certain sound sounds flat and dry yet it’s somehow bloated and muddy? I’m interested about this change and I have been considering one for a while. All the other headsets mentioned are also quite bloated in the bass based on the graphs I saw. Not to discredit you or anything, great video nonetheless since these stealth changes are always annoyingly misleading.
Yeah I probably worded that poorly🤣 but I do appreciate you calling me out on it! The rest of the headsets, at least for gaming, do have bloated bass but still sound good overall. There’s just something weird that happened to the tuning of this headset. If you ever get the chance to try the new and old side by side, I highly recommend it. It’s such a strange shift in sound
@@BaxTechYT yeah. I do have a hypothesis that HP stopped buying from takstar (the original OEM for hyperx) and started making their own molds and change something about the vents that caused a change in incoming air causing an increase in bass. I'll definitely try with the cloud alpha cause that's the one I have and see if there's any difference.
@@BaxTechYT and there's also the chance of product deviation. Another potential reason for the shift in sound could be a dip between 200-500 hertz that cause the sound to become hollow and weird.
DON'T BUY THESE. Mine are completely broken after 3 months of carefully using them. The plastic hinges started fracturing around a month ago -- so about 2 months after I bought them and now they're completely falling apart. The headset is comfortable and sounds nice, but it just doesn't last. Just look into buying a different headset.
Same here. After about 1 and a half months of using it the plastic on the sides starting just breaking away. Once, it completely came off and I spent about 3 hours and 10 years of my lifespan trying to screw the damn screw back in to hold it together. I bought them in January 2023 so they have lasted a decent amount of time. But during that time, they slowly continued to fall apart. I estimate they will be fully broken in a month or two.
@@cessnacitation-x this sounds like a quality product. Everyone reading this comment, get the HyperX Cloud 2s! 10/10, would recommend! (not) I wrapped my plastic hinges with duct tape and it has worked fine, but I will never buy anything from HyperX again. I'll look into a different, much better headset whenever these Cloud 2's I got break, which I estimate to not take too long, unfortunately. :/
I've been using my Cloud II's for the last 6 or so years and love them. I've even said that i'd replace them with another set when the time comes if i can still get them. But after your review, i might have to rethink that. Thanks for the review.
I ordered mine on august 2021 and the right cable broke on me 1 year and a half after i bought them and i had to repair it, now 6 months passed till then and it broke again and I can’t fix it idk if i just got unlucky or is it really that easy for this headsets cable to break for no reason at all, it sucks being able to only hear from the left side…
This was my exact plan, and I just did this with, what I thought, was an upgrade from the wired to the wireless version. TLDR, it's awful and I will be refunding them if possible.
worst part of the new HP version is that they cheaped out on the belt buckles, teared on both side within 6 months. warrantly does not cover it. I bought em because i readed good reviews but apparantly that was more about the kingston version.. i feel scammed there.
hey man im really conflicted on which to get the cloud alpha/ alpha s, NEW cloud 2s or i might try to find a old kingston version, g pro x? which do you think I should get? I mosty play FPS sometimes I watch movies and talk at discord.
Was going to rebuy because mine broke last night after several years of using them and loved the headphones. Quickly changed my mind after learning they sold out to HP and they came in and ruined these headphones. Why did they think these changes were necessary lol? Their going to lose money by cutting the cost to produce it because people will stop buying them if its downgraded trash.
That's ashame, I've been looking for a new headset to replace my Hyper X Revolver (£60) had them for years and worked beautifully. Hoped to return to Hyperx to look for a new pair
Mine the KINGSTON one, just died on me (the cable before the control box) so I can get a new cable for 30bucks but the leather is all gone almost (didn't clean them much that's why) LASTED 6/7 YEARS insane
@@BaxTechYT Ye I agree, I'm considering getting the leaderette ear cups too (+10 bucks) and they'll be brand new besides the headband that has half the leather gone but they're still going strong, I'll prolly "revive them" and get new ones on the side just in case (just to change a litttle bit or I'll even get a new pair of the old cloud iis just in case ahahha)
@@c0mpl3x91 Yo, where did you buy the replacement cable? Mine one just died on me as well and I'm pretty sure the problem with it is the cable before the control box Hope i can find a replacement one somewhere
in my country its cost around 40$ could you recommended to me , by the way i am using my broken headset Razer kraken X Lite 😔 so you recommended to me or not ? and keep going nice review 👍
SteelSeries - Arctis Pro Wired DTS Headphone:X v2.0 is the one on sale for $120 at Best Buy, great deal. Considering this one although its not wireless.
Found this video and panicked for a moment since I just bought these a couple months back. Seems I got lucky cause they're Kingston branded. I had no idea HP picked them up, sorry to hear on the audio quality drop. HyperX were my go-to back up headset brand.
Damn this was always my go to headset if I needed a replacement. I had found my perfect headset at a good price and now I gotta find a new one sadly but i'll still try it out if its not too bad might still use it since im just so used to it.
same im sorta pissed off that they decided to ruin the best headset out there. Cant find anything even remotely close to it for the same price. Let me know if you found something!! I might pull the trigger on the Steelseries arctis nova 1
@@Avxt1n not really, tried the logitech g prox2 but that shit is uncomfortable, and everyone says it's super comfy but that was hurting me, I just ended up getting the cloud 2s again honestly sound is fine for me and I like the comfort so I'll probs keep on using it until something better comes along
Hello, how about HyperX Cloud 2 Wireless? Accidentally bought the version 2 and I agree with you. The original sounded better and the new one feels flimsy.
i thought i was going crazy, i had the old once since 2016 and sadly they rusted from use outisde while jogging, best pair ive ever had, bought new once because i figured it be the same. but it sounds off...couldnt put my finger on it and then i found this video, this explains alot...makes me extreamly dissapointed, also the plasic trim just above the cups have all cracked...something the old once never did even with heavy use, ive had to take spareparts from my old once to keep these in use...i was a fan of hyperx, but this is just dissapointing and why they lowered the quality is beyond me. cheers for the video mate, finally got me some answers.
There are 3 versions, Kingston with the brushed finish and rubber ear cup, there is a newer Kingston version with a plastic ear cup, and there’s an hp version which is also plastic
Finally an answer. My Cloud IIs have "Kingston" labelled all over them; but they still have that stupid cheap plastic ear-cup material. I'm in the market for something better, or the better Kingston version.
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better for Multiplayer.
i have both, i first bough my hyper x alpha a long time ago but my mic stopped working so i bough a new one and i thought they would be the same but the earpeaces are so much harder and more uncomfortable, its a real shame
I have one of these and I get the praise for the sound quality, no problems there, but the build quality is horrid on this thing. I have long hair and the plastic on the head adjustment parts are so thin and brittle on this thing that my hair got caught in the grooves and ripped large chunks off of it until it could no longer sit in the headstrap properly. I'm wearing it right now and the only thing holding it together is a generous layering of duct tape. barely even lasted a year in that regard, but the sound is still good.
I was able to find the Kingston cloud 2s I was able to tell by the box I looked at the box and it said it had a travel bag so that’s how I knew it was the Kingston ones and I bought them and opened the box and they were lol I like the rubber earcups I’m not a fan of the plastic look
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating.
do you reccomend buying blackshark v2 x instead cloud 2 i just care fps gaming performance and comfort. do you have any alternative suggestions for blackshark v2 x
@@BaxTechYTlate reply but damn that's a crazy recommendation! What were you thinking? The Black sharks are muddy as shmeck compared to even the new hyper x
i bought the ''arctis 3'' pair and i was really disappointed, the sound is muffled and the earcups press on my head like its about to explode, cant wear them for longer than a few minutes without having a discomfort on my ear lobs, i literally like my old hyperx cloud stinger better than the arctis 3
I have the new version of the headset and the ear cups have starter to give me headaches. I used to have the old version of the headset and it never gave me headaches
How to tell the difference by looking at them? I wanted to buy these, someone is selling them claiming that they are Kingston one's, but how to tell whether those are Kingston one's or HP one's?
@@BaxTechYT i've been using it since 2019. by far the most comfortable headset i've ever used. it feels like two pillows in two ears. only problem is my motherboard audio is crap and mh751 doesn't have a dac. i wanted to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but your review just saved me. i guess now i have to look out for the hypex cloud 2 that still has a bag with it
I bought today the new version of the cloud II, and let me just tell you, if you listen to music, watch movies or etc, they sound kinda flat, the main difference that I can feel is the bass. Its not as strong as the Kingston version.
Damn it damn it! I just got these headphones. I looked up the manufacturer from Amazon it’s hp. Now I have to return it it will take 2 weeks too process it. If u have any suggestions for headphones just for fps games I don’t care about sound expect for footsteps and gun shot audio.
You could try these out and see if you like the sound from them! Just wasn’t really for me, especially compared to the originals. But I highly suggest the ones I mentioned at the end of the video, or check out the Drop + Epps H3x!
@@BaxTechYT i ended up returning them and i got the Audeze Penrose headset. They seem to be the best headset in terms of clarity and sound for gaming atm.
I bought the hyperx 2 clouds for my ps5. They sound like a $10 headphone. Even my earphones from my 4 year old phone sound 100x better. Maybe they not good for ps5, I don't know. Its like the earcups are empty, very bad sound quality, no immersion, bass, treble. Can't even tell what direction enemy's are when playing fps games. I haven't tried them on PC, they are comfortable for sure but that's about it.
Hey Bax, my hyper x cloud II just started to die and i was looking for a high end, gaming headset! (mic and wired) I have no budget but don't want to go over £300 if possible! What would be the best for audio quality + bass with decent mic? IGN said "SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC (Wired)" was the Best High-end wired gaming headset! They also said: The "HyperX Cloud Orbit S" was the Best Audiophile Quality Gaming Headset! I was wondering, im a gamer that prefers the best sound quality for listening to music, I don't mind for gaming as long as I can hear footsteps in counter strike for example! Which would be the better of the 2 options for audio quality + bass (Would love to know which has better bass if possible) Also, are they any other £300 or less wired headsets that are better than these? Im open to more options Thanks alot!
Hmm I would honestly recommend going the SteelSeries route! I don’t have hands on experience with the Arctis Pro’s, but so many reviewers have ranked it top of the list for gaming headsets!
@@BaxTechYT thanks, i settled on the arctis pro, its seems similar quality wise to the hyperx cloud ii sound quality wise, other than the fact that it has EQ settings! Seems pretty nice so far, wish it had more bass tho! Thanks for the reply man :D
I still have the original hyperx revolver S with a bit updated soundcard that came with hyperx alpha S but indeed i had the alpha wireless made by HP they sounded pretty good with bass department but i didnt like the wireless range and comfort so i had to return them What a shame that hyperx is been bought by hp
Hey can u review the new budget headset from Corsair which is Corsair HS65 Surround ? From what i heard, the mic is fantastic for it price plus it got Dolby Atmos 😁
I had a cloud 2 for 5-6 years before it finally gave in, Ordered a new pair because its by far the best headsrt ive ever used, As soon as i plugged it in i could have cried, Muffked volume, No sound to gunshots, Flat, Sounding like im in a tin can at times, Thought it was just me but I guess i bought the hp ones.
And the worst thing is retailers purposely keep the Kingston boxes on their website and mention of 7.1 in the description so people think they're still selling the originals.
Yeah I got duped for it aswell, Returned the 1 I bought from amazon, Went in store to buy a kingston 1 & returned it aswell, I have no idea why hp would destroy the headset.@@ragnnohab
Ok im shopping around for new headphones. I had these astro a50s for the last 4 years and hated them but now they are finally broken and I really just want some goood headphones for way less than these expensive disappointments
sadly this was the only headset that the walmart i went to had i was so dissapointed when i opened the box and saw what they did to my precious baby T_T. so far i just dont like what they did to the headphones themselves havent had to use the mic but it just sounds so hallow? im not sure how to describe it but the old ones felt like they isolated sound better and especially with bass but i feel like i can hear external sounds more too even when playing games or listening to music. another reason why im dissapointed too is because they only changed the price by $20 it was $80 for these i feel like maybe $60 is a more fitting price.
Just got a pair wired as I was looking for a lighter headset and these came up as suggestion. Im pretty happy with the sound and design and all that, but either Im doing something wrong or they dont have a setting where my own voice goes thru the headset? So when Im talking on etc Discord it I can hear my own voice as if I had earplugs in - abit annoying if you are chatting alot during gaming 😢
this is the single gaming headset i recommend to everyone, had mine for years and they're still solid and working and sound wise i was able to compare it to other headsets and the difference is absolutely crazy.
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. It's no longer so bass-heavy, it's finer and better tuned, better for Multiplayer. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied. The build quality, the comfort, the sound balance and the micro are significantly better than the Cloud 2.
Not much, it’s not a ton better than just normal settings. Also if you really need the extra surround you can use Dolby Atmos or windows sonic for headphones
Possible, but I doubt it would make that significant of a difference. The housings play a big part in the sound of a headset, and the HP’s are noticeably cheaper
The cooler master MH751’s are one of my favs. Light clamping force, very neutral sound. The sound profile isn’t for everyone, but can be EQ’d to have more bass
That's rather tight budget but doable if any Kingston Cloud 2s are still available in your country. They've officially run out of stocks in here and it costs $200 to get actually one. (As if there's anyone who would buy that lol)
wow. I was gonna purchase another cloud alphas because mine are already 5 years old going 6, and the plastic is deteriorating not sure how long they will keep going. But i see that if i buy new ones then its not even gonna be the same quality anymore? i mean whats the point in buying then if i technically have the better version which is kingston, but old and on a limited lifespan. Maybe im just paranoic though and they will still keep going for years, but a piece of the plastic already broke off though it didnt do anything to how the headphones function
I dont know which ones i have but the ones i got seem to be very good in sound quality, and also very sufficient for music listening and possibly even audio production (in my super beginner opinion) so im guessing i got the old ones??? EDIT: i bought them in may of 2022 so maybe they are the new ones lololol
Probably the new ones if you got them that recently. But sound is subjective, so if you like them then rock with it! Just not my preferred listening experience
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better for Multiplayer.
Well this is actually kinda shitty because random people who are in the market for new gaming headset will watch all of the past (pre-HP aqcuisition) positive reviews,. They'll think that they actually get the Kingston-manufactured Cloud Alpha 2 when in reality they get a cheapened, cut corner, lesser, inferior version.. I almost fell into the trap, thank god I love to research a lot products I want to buy. and thank you for this video.
They should get sued, they should've changed the name of the headset to avoid this scam.
I just got screwed with this
this is exactly what happened to me, what pretty disappointed when i actually received it but oh well. it’s been almost 2 years now and i still use it just wish i knew it wasn’t the old model.
I found this video precisely after falling for the scam myself. I cannot see how selling a product under the guise of another wouldn't be fraud, yet here we are.
i fell for it 6 months ago, both sides the plastic belt buckles already teared and now i cannot adjust my headset. its the biggest size and it pisses me off unironicly. thxs hp!
0:58
To me it seems like a really _obvious_ place to cut costs. Especially as a pc gamer, you're most likely never going to use the bag 99,99% of the time.
And if you happen to attend a LAN, you probably forget packing the bag :' )
It’s seems a trend with companies lowering standards for reasonable priced headphones.
Trying to make every extra dollar they can!
You should swap the earpads and see whether this is the reason for the difference in sound. If not, it has to do with some internal changes to the driver or to the housing. But changing the material the housing is made from cannot possibly ruin the bass response - worst case scenario it can only increase it by adding its own resonance. The earpads on the other hand is the biggest factor in the bass response of a headphone, along with the presence of an airflow opening on the outside of the cup.
I did try with the other ear pads, sadly the sound was still severely lacking. Good tips though! Thanks for the input!
I went from my HyperX Cloud after 7 years of use to the new Cloud II and tested it with the same earpads. It sounds totally the same 🤷🏻♂️
But instead of the usb soundcard I use my internal PCIe soundcard.
In my eyes it’s still a great headset
might as well get a higher priced headset if you're gonna change the pads out lol
I will have to disagree, I've owned the old one and now the new one and I think the new ones are better, they have a super good price for what you get, build quality is great, headset is comfortable and light in a good way to wear, and sound is just as pinpoint and good as the old ones.
same. bought them for 50 euros two days ago. i used a logitech g pro before and the hyper x cloud II sound even better imo.
@@infinitespace8394 where do you buy it for 50 euros?
@@thothtrismegistus929 hi1 bought it in my local saturn ( kind of bad e.store.. ) here in cologne. i have to say it was at a discount, they sell them now for 69.99euronas i think...! But i have to say for the sound given, they are worth even 70 euros imo.
is it better for fps games or music
@@crxmix7602 fps games for sure. itll do the job for music, but i would opt for dedicated music headphones if you want to use it for music more often.
I bought a pair to replace my Kingston ones which had lasted since 2015 and immediately thought I had been sold a knockoff pair, side by side the difference in quality is very noticeable. Now after 3 months normal use the new pair are already falling apart and stopped working in one ear. Such a shame as the old ones were such great value for money!
It’s legit heartbreaking to me! They took a near perfect pair of headphones and kinda turned them to crap. Glad they still kept the price the same 😂
@@BaxTechYT Yeah its a real disappointment! I managed to fix the problem by replacing the speaker from my old set. Naturally they kept the price the same 😂
@@BaxTechYT i bought a hyper x cloud 2 wireless pair like a few months ago and from the first week i noticed that every few hours the sound just disappears for like 5-10 seconds and sometimes theres a really high pitched sound
Agreed i will NEVER be buying a headset from HyperX again and i even left them a complaint on there Reddit which they reached out to me but my next pair of headphones will be far better anyway i have almost every product from HyperX but there headsets SUCK now!
@@JunkCat1 Dang I would try to return or exchange them if you can!
i got hyperx cloud II from 6 years ago, they still work, i did tried multiple headsets brands like: Bose, sony, razer, steelseries, but none came close to my headsets
Mine still work but the soft plastic coating got really sticky after 2 years of use, and it was a pain in the ass removing it, and then the fake leather of the pads and headband started to fall of in tiny pieces and everytime I touched them or put them on I got hundreds of tiny black dots around my ears and hair. Now I had to glue the earpads because they fall of very easily. I would say that the build quality is complete shit.
@@liousevropaecvstos7711 yeah idk what to say about this, i had issues only with the ear pads which i just changed, other than that.. i still use same hyperx cloud II headsets, working well but sometimes my jack from the hub does mess with me sometimes. whenever i move headsets' cable it has a chance of interrupting my sound (the mic works well, i just can't hear).
i might swap them for some Philips Fidelio X2HR headsets and use the mic from v-moda, boom pro and see how this combo will work
I had to send my originals in for a replacement because they broke, and unfortunately they replaced them with the HP brand. The bass on the HP brand is not there, like at all
Oh no! Yeah the HP’s are just so disappointing. I would see if you could sell off the HP’s or trade them in somewhere for credit toward something else
Man the wire broke on my Kingston cloud II and i instantly bought a new pair but I'm disappointed with the new sound quality such a shame my old ones lasted me like 5 years
Dang that is a huge bummer. If you want to revive your old ones, you can look up a guide on how to replace the cable. Just make sure you’re comfortable with soldering!
I recently refunded a pair of the new Cloud II wireless. The sound is just not the same at all. Kingston had such an amazing pair of wireless gaming headsets at such a great price point, and HP just MURDERED it. If all you play is fps then the new ones are fine, probably better. If you enjoy listening to literally ANY other sounds besides gunshots, the old Kingston ones were just sublime.
Big time truth. It’s sad. The king is dead!
Absolutely. I had the Cloud 2 for years, and loved them always. Man I really didn't realize how good they are. I have gone through several headphones in the past 2 years and non of them came even close, despite the fact that some of em were 500$ or more.
Cable on my old pair broke after many years so I bought another without hesitation and I noticed straight away they sounded like crap.
Yeah it’s so dang disappointing!
same here
No matter how much I love old cloud 2s there is very important thing to consider. Because of that rubberised plastic old headphones tend to decay after 3-4 years. I own 2 pairs one from 2017 and one 2018 and both of them feel very sticky. I even tried to wash them with isopropyl alcohol and it did not help 😕 thus I think that plastic in new hyperxs might actually be an upgrade
same
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
I bought a pair in Sep 29 2018 (Kingston branded), and had the control board on the surround virtualizer crap out (never did buy a new controller board), so I went with another brand. Now that the other brand has broken where it never should have, i've plugged these in, and have a wire going bad or some sort.
This pair was always a golden pair for me, and I absolutely loved the cloth earpads that aren't used in the headset anymore.
I'm glad to see this review on the new edition, though. Thank you for the informed review!
Will you recommend cloud 2 or cloud alpha i am getting a used one bcz in my country its too expensive
With 7.1 surround sound card
@AZAN-SHEIKH I personally haven't tried the newer version of this headset that this video covers. And haven't researched what headsets are available. If it's something you feel informed on and may be withing means of budget, it might be. But stay aware 😊
I totally disagree. There are some changes, but there is no problem in using it at all. What's also really absurd is that the sound quality hasn't changed at all. I have both models and use them interchangeably, but I don't notice any difference. The ear cups that come with the Kingston version are so uncomfortable that I'll either throw them away with the mesh bag or they'll sit in a corner somewhere. It's not annoying because there's no mesh bag.
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
I was about to buy a pair of the new hyperx cloud II on facebook. This saved me. Thank you. I didnt know they changed things
Glad I could help!
Luckily I have the old one. I bought my first cloud 2 back in 2016, then after 1 years my left audio went mute, I couldnt hear anything, they told me it was something with the cable. Hyperx warranty replaced the entire headphone for me and gave me a new one. I havent had an issue ever since. Only the leatherette started peeling off but the other day I bough a replacement pair of leatherette ear cushions and they fit perfectly. Everytime I put this headset on Im amazed on how good it sounds.
I forgot to say, Hyperx also replaced an entire keyboard for me, the alloy elite rgb, just because on keycap broke. Kingston customer support is amazing, I had only good experiences with it, and the products are solid, I would recommend them to everyone.
I have the Cloud II. Within a year the padding around the ears and headband started peeling off. Within two years the plastic around the mic jag started to feel sticky and kind of peel as well.
They're OK money to value, but I wouldn't recommend buying these, either old or new, if you want a durable gaming headset.
I have the Kingston produced and that's what happened to mine! It's not like I use them daily either. I tried the fabric pads that were included, but those let in way too much background noise and actually started irritated my skin. I thought about using one of those seatbelt shoulder pad things to wrap around the headband at least, but why even bother? These will be my last headset from them!
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
Same issues carried onto the wireless version, Kingston is full and immersive, HP is narrow and tinny. Both have the same plastic housing so it's more likely HP is cutting corners on something internal or the speaker itself. HP needs to start losing money on their HyperX purchase.
Bought new X2 Wireless to replace my old X2 (which has lasted for 5 years no trouble and still works), and the difference is stark. Tin can sound. No "real" 7.1 surround sound anymore, only emulated. Worse build quality. No replacement ear muffs. Simply awful. I will be returning these and buying something else.
@@karlzone2 It could only ever have been emulated if there is only one speaker in each side.
@@loganmedia4401 from what I've read, the old Kingston build had twice the speakers in each ear than the new HP build does. I play a lot of pubg where directional sound is important, and the "new" surround sound barely works for that purpose. :(
I use the pre HP one for sim racing, endurance racing mostly hours of sweat and they never died on me. They still work but are very worn out. I bought a new pair since they where on sale, this time the HP version. The plastic started to break with one year of very light use (I'm not gaming as much). They are still getting sales from past reputation.
Hey brother! FaceXFootStyle here - been a while my friend! I randomly had a thought about you today and scoured the internet for your tech review page and finally found it! Glad to see you're doing well and hopefully we can sneak in a few overwatch games sometime soon!
What’s up my dude! Miss you man. We for sure need to get some games in! I’ll message you so I can get your battle.net name!
Curious thing, I did some tests and have completely different results. Microphones seem to have no difference for my brands. Output, yeah some minor difference but I had to listen very carefully. What I noticed when plugging into the exact same USB slot, it (HP) set the settings to default.
Edit: Compared to the cable Stinger's output I agree with you regarding the sound output
just got the HP ones today thinking it was the kingston ones lol, they sound pretty good though as per me and my friends when we tried them outside the store, i put on the velour pads and so far they seem good.
will update this comment if anything bad comes up
Keep me updated!
@@BaxTechYT for sure!
how do you like them? i still have the kingston cloud 2 from like 2 and half years ago, and i genuinely don’t know if i can still recommend these. any updates? appreciate it
@@zhila5958 i like them, they're comfortable, sound good and even better in 7.1 surround
the height adjustment is a bit loose and can get knocked out of the setting i set them to but that's just an ocd thing on my part as i don't notice anything wrong when wearing them
i didn't own the original ones but those are definetly an upgrade from laptop/monitor speakers or cheap tws earphones
pretty positive so far so yeah, been good for me
@@uravggamer6065 looks like i can suggest them to my cousin and best friend. they desperately wanted one of mine for longest time, hell even my 13 year old twin little cousins want one!
Removing the bag makes the most sense as the first thing to do to cut costs. That rubberised plastic always ends up turning into a gooey mess. All it does is give a fake premium feel to the product initially, but long term it is a terrible idea.
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied.
i have been wondering if this was the case for a bit now.
my original cloud ii is still going strong.
im actually kinda hurt that they suck now.
since the originals could've been basically the only headset you needed for a lifetime.
since they were good for both gaming and casually enjoying music.
Agreed! I’ll probably just tuck my originals away in storage forever just so i can remember what once was
is this the same case for the Alphas? , my cloud 2s just stopped working and they lasted me 5 years, was looking to just go back to Hyperx but after seeing this I might stray away. Thanks a lot for the informative video.
I honestly don’t know, but i would assume it hit the entire HyperX line!
Did you bought the Alphas? If yes(and if they are the HP ones, should be written somewhere on headband), how are they? I had Alphas since October 2020 and I'm planning on getting them again, but I'm scared of their quality.
@@_witheredRosedid you get the new pair?
@@vladimirgolosin4699 I did, but they were from the Kingston batch not the HP one, so I can't really help
@@_witheredRose Ok, thanks for the reply
Thank you for the transparent review, i was about to buy this but got the Cloud Alpha S instead and my god it is a great headset.
Well, I had Cloud Orbit before this and I'm extremely surprised by how good these are for the price. Very comfortable and the sound is pleasant and detailed. In my opinion the build quality is nice too, metal where it counts and I don't want any rubber parts to be collecting dust.
Hp ruins everything they touch. Look at their computer's just trash. A friend had me talked into hyper x headset. I think I'll keep shopping all you had to say was muddy sound that what i want to get away from. Thank you for your review.
Glad I could help! Such a disappointment to change a headset like this
Their laptops seem to be good quality.
I went for Cloud 2 Wireless after Razer Blackshark V2 X and Arctis 3. I really like the build quality and the sound is very nice as well, not as clear as Arctis 3s but better bass and footsteps are easier to locate. Maybe Wireless version is different.
Hmm maybe! Haven’t been able to test out the wireless yet
Can you tell me something? The Blackshark has foam earcups doesn't it lose some of the sound (worse isolation) compared to the Leatherette Cloud 2 earcups?
My Kingston Cloud II is about to become junked. The typical fake leather is peeling off the cups and especially the lower sides of the top band. Ridiculous. You have to clean as in wipe them, no? Why have a coating that resists basic cleaning? Yeah, they really do sound superb, even though the optional "7.1" sound through the button is muddy and practically useless for music and games, but the build quality is quite a letdown. I'm not spending $80 and the time to refurbish these when I can simply buy a new headset of my choice. Once bitten, twice shy.
That's really a shame. I've been thinking about buying a pair since before hp bought them. Guess I'll have to keep looking.
Damn huge companies trying to do everything they can to scam us.
I asked their customer support and they told me that there are no changes in the specifications. I think it’s still better to try?
Big time shame. If you do get a pair, just make sure you can return or exchange them if you don’t like them. The market just has much better options now!
So specs didn’t change. Driver size, mic, everything like that technically remained the same. But the materials used for the driver housings for sure changed. Which caused a pretty major change in sound
Just bought a pair of cloud 2 wireless and I got nervous after checking out your video. So i went back to the homepage where i got them and thankfully the seller said it was Kingston 😃
I did the exact same thing. Mine come tomorrow!!
Heck yeah! Not sure if this changed hit their wireless line, but it’s safe to assume it did
I thought the Kingston sounded worse over mic.
@@BaxTechYT Yes the same differences in the wired are there in the wireless version.
This video has led me to believe that there was another version of the Cloud II that was Kingston branded but with the HP build. I have a Kingston branded pair bought in late 2021, and all those appearance differences you've pointed out are identical to the HP model on my own. I wonder if HP actually changed anything, or if Kingston made a revision at some point that brought the lower quality before HP ever got their hands on HyperX.
So what headset did you buy int he end?
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. And the sound is more balanced.
Hi bro! I found Cloud 2 with a new design from HP, but on the headband printed - "Kingston". The box is also with the old design.
Is it worth trying to get them?
(sry for my english)
If it says Kingston on the headband and the box is still the old design there's a good chance they're the Kingston model.
the new cloud 2's are exactly as i would describe my cloud core headset, exactly exactly the same, they are just scamming us by offering a lower budget headset for the price of the higher price... you can try the cloud core and i will pay you, donate, what ever the money for buying the core if they don't sound exactly the same as new cloud 2
I used to have a pair of Cloud II's and loved them (the Kingston ones) I got a pair recently and ended up getting sent the new ones with HP on them not Kingston and they've ruined what used to be my favourite headset!! :/ The sound is muddy, the plastic feels cheaper instead of that rubbery texture they used to have and the highs sound like they're piercing my ears they're so damn loud even when everything else isn't. I'm returning them for a refund.
They ruined my babies.
I ordered mine in 2018 after my old CLOUD I's MIC stopped working. Now my Cloud II started breaking and I wanted to buy a new pair but thought to check before I purchase.
Thanks for the heads up. You saved me a lot of headache and money. HP ruined a perfect headset.
Where the hell am I gonna find another headset with the soft earpads? I can't stand the fake leather ones with noise cancelling. :((((
I know, it’s such a heartbreak:( this was one of my most recommended headsets!
"HP ruined a perfect headset" couldn't have said it any better. It literally was pretty perfect. A blind recommondation for anyone.
@@RabbitConfirmed Yup, it was literally perfect. Gaming? Got you covered? Music? Even better than the competition.
Conflicting points, certain sound sounds flat and dry yet it’s somehow bloated and muddy? I’m interested about this change and I have been considering one for a while. All the other headsets mentioned are also quite bloated in the bass based on the graphs I saw. Not to discredit you or anything, great video nonetheless since these stealth changes are always annoyingly misleading.
Yeah I probably worded that poorly🤣 but I do appreciate you calling me out on it! The rest of the headsets, at least for gaming, do have bloated bass but still sound good overall. There’s just something weird that happened to the tuning of this headset. If you ever get the chance to try the new and old side by side, I highly recommend it. It’s such a strange shift in sound
@@BaxTechYT yeah. I do have a hypothesis that HP stopped buying from takstar (the original OEM for hyperx) and started making their own molds and change something about the vents that caused a change in incoming air causing an increase in bass. I'll definitely try with the cloud alpha cause that's the one I have and see if there's any difference.
@@BaxTechYT and there's also the chance of product deviation. Another potential reason for the shift in sound could be a dip between 200-500 hertz that cause the sound to become hollow and weird.
Let me know what you find!
Have you tried the new cloud alpha already?
DON'T BUY THESE. Mine are completely broken after 3 months of carefully using them. The plastic hinges started fracturing around a month ago -- so about 2 months after I bought them and now they're completely falling apart. The headset is comfortable and sounds nice, but it just doesn't last. Just look into buying a different headset.
Same here. After about 1 and a half months of using it the plastic on the sides starting just breaking away. Once, it completely came off and I spent about 3 hours and 10 years of my lifespan trying to screw the damn screw back in to hold it together. I bought them in January 2023 so they have lasted a decent amount of time. But during that time, they slowly continued to fall apart. I estimate they will be fully broken in a month or two.
@@cessnacitation-x this sounds like a quality product. Everyone reading this comment, get the HyperX Cloud 2s! 10/10, would recommend! (not)
I wrapped my plastic hinges with duct tape and it has worked fine, but I will never buy anything from HyperX again. I'll look into a different, much better headset whenever these Cloud 2's I got break, which I estimate to not take too long, unfortunately. :/
I've been using my Cloud II's for the last 6 or so years and love them. I've even said that i'd replace them with another set when the time comes if i can still get them. But after your review, i might have to rethink that.
Thanks for the review.
Glad I could help out!
I ordered mine on august 2021 and the right cable broke on me 1 year and a half after i bought them and i had to repair it, now 6 months passed till then and it broke again and I can’t fix it idk if i just got unlucky or is it really that easy for this headsets cable to break for no reason at all, it sucks being able to only hear from the left side…
This was my exact plan, and I just did this with, what I thought, was an upgrade from the wired to the wireless version. TLDR, it's awful and I will be refunding them if possible.
worst part of the new HP version is that they cheaped out on the belt buckles, teared on both side within 6 months. warrantly does not cover it. I bought em because i readed good reviews but apparantly that was more about the kingston version.. i feel scammed there.
HP are awful in general. I have the new pair however i do use a EQ so sound ends up being pretty good enough for me.
hey man im really conflicted on which to get the cloud alpha/ alpha s, NEW cloud 2s or i might try to find a old kingston version, g pro x? which do you think I should get? I mosty play FPS sometimes I watch movies and talk at discord.
i heard the Cloud alpha are really good
@@UndoneNiko even the hp versions?
Was going to rebuy because mine broke last night after several years of using them and loved the headphones. Quickly changed my mind after learning they sold out to HP and they came in and ruined these headphones. Why did they think these changes were necessary lol? Their going to lose money by cutting the cost to produce it because people will stop buying them if its downgraded trash.
That's ashame, I've been looking for a new headset to replace my Hyper X Revolver (£60) had them for years and worked beautifully. Hoped to return to Hyperx to look for a new pair
Did they make the earcups easier to swap out? i hate it whenever i have to change them haha but the hyperx cloud II i have are the old ones
after update there was a very noticeable downgrade in sound quality
Mine the KINGSTON one, just died on me (the cable before the control box) so I can get a new cable for 30bucks but the leather is all gone almost (didn't clean them much that's why) LASTED 6/7 YEARS insane
Dang, RIP to a great headset. $30 isn’t bad to get them up and running again!
@@BaxTechYT Ye I agree, I'm considering getting the leaderette ear cups too (+10 bucks) and they'll be brand new besides the headband that has half the leather gone but they're still going strong, I'll prolly "revive them" and get new ones on the side just in case (just to change a litttle bit or I'll even get a new pair of the old cloud iis just in case ahahha)
@@c0mpl3x91 look into wicked cushions. I know they make some of the best 3rd party ear pads for the cloud 2’s
@@BaxTechYT you're insane for keeping answering and helping me out!!! Thanks man ❤️
@@c0mpl3x91 Yo, where did you buy the replacement cable? Mine one just died on me as well and I'm pretty sure the problem with it is the cable before the control box
Hope i can find a replacement one somewhere
in my country its cost around 40$ could you recommended to me , by the way i am using my broken headset Razer kraken X Lite 😔 so you recommended to me or not ? and keep going nice review 👍
Thank you! $40 isn’t bad, but I would still look around for other options
@@BaxTechYT like what? at this range 40$ i think it's best value
SteelSeries - Arctis Pro Wired DTS Headphone:X v2.0 is the one on sale for $120 at Best Buy, great deal. Considering this one although its not wireless.
Found this video and panicked for a moment since I just bought these a couple months back. Seems I got lucky cause they're Kingston branded. I had no idea HP picked them up, sorry to hear on the audio quality drop. HyperX were my go-to back up headset brand.
Looks like corporate had some advisors come in to increase profits by making poor quality headsets. No bueno. Thank you for your honest review
Damn this was always my go to headset if I needed a replacement. I had found my perfect headset at a good price and now I gotta find a new one sadly but i'll still try it out if its not too bad might still use it since im just so used to it.
same im sorta pissed off that they decided to ruin the best headset out there. Cant find anything even remotely close to it for the same price. Let me know if you found something!! I might pull the trigger on the Steelseries arctis nova 1
@@Avxt1n not really, tried the logitech g prox2 but that shit is uncomfortable, and everyone says it's super comfy but that was hurting me, I just ended up getting the cloud 2s again honestly sound is fine for me and I like the comfort so I'll probs keep on using it until something better comes along
Hello, how about HyperX Cloud 2 Wireless?
Accidentally bought the version 2 and I agree with you.
The original sounded better and the new one feels flimsy.
They have withe noice and Sound not good as the wired cloud 2
So its Bad,
@@darkcroos9536 The white noise is minimal and if you buy Wicked Cushions or something thicker you don't even notice it.
Ive gotta say, that black grey colour scheme is looking pretty good
I still have my original Cloud 2 with the included bag. Just bought the Cloud 3 wireless recently.
Which one do you think is better, ii or iii? Because I am considering buying ii or iii.
@@tystong4432 Cloud 3 is better. WAY WAY BETTER.
The cloud core is even weirder.cause the 7.1 version doesn’t include the usb audio adapter anymore.
i thought i was going crazy, i had the old once since 2016 and sadly they rusted from use outisde while jogging, best pair ive ever had, bought new once because i figured it be the same. but it sounds off...couldnt put my finger on it and then i found this video, this explains alot...makes me extreamly dissapointed, also the plasic trim just above the cups have all cracked...something the old once never did even with heavy use, ive had to take spareparts from my old once to keep these in use...i was a fan of hyperx, but this is just dissapointing and why they lowered the quality is beyond me. cheers for the video mate, finally got me some answers.
There are 3 versions, Kingston with the brushed finish and rubber ear cup, there is a newer Kingston version with a plastic ear cup, and there’s an hp version which is also plastic
Finally an answer. My Cloud IIs have "Kingston" labelled all over them; but they still have that stupid cheap plastic ear-cup material. I'm in the market for something better, or the better Kingston version.
@@cessnacitation-x the cloud alpha wired is good. And the new cloud 3 is good to.
@@TyrannosaurusTim Thanks, I'll take a look. Especially considering the Cloud IIs I was talking about literally just broke 5 minutes ago.
@@TyrannosaurusTim I've looked at the Alphas and they seem great.
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better for Multiplayer.
i have both, i first bough my hyper x alpha a long time ago but my mic stopped working so i bough a new one and i thought they would be the same but the earpeaces are so much harder and more uncomfortable, its a real shame
So you say HP downgraded alphas too? Is the sound different?
I have one of these and I get the praise for the sound quality, no problems there, but the build quality is horrid on this thing. I have long hair and the plastic on the head adjustment parts are so thin and brittle on this thing that my hair got caught in the grooves and ripped large chunks off of it until it could no longer sit in the headstrap properly. I'm wearing it right now and the only thing holding it together is a generous layering of duct tape. barely even lasted a year in that regard, but the sound is still good.
I was able to find the Kingston cloud 2s I was able to tell by the box I looked at the box and it said it had a travel bag so that’s how I knew it was the Kingston ones and I bought them and opened the box and they were lol I like the rubber earcups I’m not a fan of the plastic look
This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating.
do you reccomend buying blackshark v2 x instead cloud 2
i just care fps gaming performance and comfort.
do you have any alternative suggestions for blackshark v2 x
Yes, I would for sure recommend those over the Cloud II. Another option to look into is the SteelSeries Arctis 3’s
@@BaxTechYTlate reply but damn that's a crazy recommendation! What were you thinking? The Black sharks are muddy as shmeck compared to even the new hyper x
i bought the ''arctis 3'' pair and i was really disappointed, the sound is muffled and the earcups press on my head like its about to explode, cant wear them for longer than a few minutes without having a discomfort on my ear lobs, i literally like my old hyperx cloud stinger better than the arctis 3
Did they do the same thing with the Cloud Alpha headset?
Can’t confirm that, but it’s safe to assume they did
@@BaxTechYT okkaayy, thanks for the reply
Sadly have to agree. They sound very different now as well.. were my fav headphones
I have the new version of the headset and the ear cups have starter to give me headaches. I used to have the old version of the headset and it never gave me headaches
How to tell the difference by looking at them? I wanted to buy these, someone is selling them claiming that they are Kingston one's, but how to tell whether those are Kingston one's or HP one's?
The only way to tell upfront is the branding on the headset. There’s a tiny branding by one of the forks that will say which company manufactured it
which one out of the other 4 you prefer over these do you recommend more for just casual gaming?
My personal favorite is the Cooler Master MH751’s! Very balanced audio and very comfortable
@@BaxTechYT i've been using it since 2019. by far the most comfortable headset i've ever used. it feels like two pillows in two ears. only problem is my motherboard audio is crap and mh751 doesn't have a dac. i wanted to buy a hyperx cloud 2 but your review just saved me. i guess now i have to look out for the hypex cloud 2 that still has a bag with it
You might even look into a AMP/Dac combo! Then you can open up your options to a very wide range of headsets and headphones later on
@@shantodas8184check out cloud core wireless, those are amazing if you ask me.
@@mcalex4747 does that have a dac/amp? because my motherboard has crap audio and i really need a dac
is there anyway to tell them apart on the box? my shop has them, in store but i dont wanna get the new HP ones
You can check on the back of box in one of the corners. There should be some branding listed that will say who the manufacturer is
I bought today the new version of the cloud II, and let me just tell you, if you listen to music, watch movies or etc, they sound kinda flat, the main difference that I can feel is the bass. Its not as strong as the Kingston version.
Which one would you recommend with the similar price range?
Damn it damn it! I just got these headphones. I looked up the manufacturer from Amazon it’s hp. Now I have to return it it will take 2 weeks too process it. If u have any suggestions for headphones just for fps games I don’t care about sound expect for footsteps and gun shot audio.
You could try these out and see if you like the sound from them! Just wasn’t really for me, especially compared to the originals. But I highly suggest the ones I mentioned at the end of the video, or check out the Drop + Epps H3x!
@@BaxTechYT i ended up returning them and i got the Audeze Penrose headset. They seem to be the best headset in terms of clarity and sound for gaming atm.
@@shazzi1626 nice, that’s a solid choice!
I bought the hyperx 2 clouds for my ps5.
They sound like a $10 headphone.
Even my earphones from my 4 year old phone sound 100x better.
Maybe they not good for ps5, I don't know.
Its like the earcups are empty, very bad sound quality, no immersion, bass, treble.
Can't even tell what direction enemy's are when playing fps games.
I haven't tried them on PC, they are comfortable for sure but that's about it.
Hey Bax, my hyper x cloud II just started to die and i was looking for a high end, gaming headset! (mic and wired)
I have no budget but don't want to go over £300 if possible! What would be the best for audio quality + bass with decent mic?
IGN said "SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC (Wired)" was the Best High-end wired gaming headset! They also said:
The "HyperX Cloud Orbit S" was the Best Audiophile Quality Gaming Headset!
I was wondering, im a gamer that prefers the best sound quality for listening to music, I don't mind for gaming as long as I can hear footsteps in counter strike for example!
Which would be the better of the 2 options for audio quality + bass (Would love to know which has better bass if possible)
Also, are they any other £300 or less wired headsets that are better than these? Im open to more options
Thanks alot!
Hmm I would honestly recommend going the SteelSeries route! I don’t have hands on experience with the Arctis Pro’s, but so many reviewers have ranked it top of the list for gaming headsets!
@@BaxTechYT thanks, i settled on the arctis pro, its seems similar quality wise to the hyperx cloud ii sound quality wise, other than the fact that it has EQ settings! Seems pretty nice so far, wish it had more bass tho! Thanks for the reply man :D
@@elsa9026 No problem! Honestly, the Arctis Pro is for sure the better choice
i had no idea they still sold the cloud2 i thought they replaced it with the alpha
Oh yeah, they still sell them. That headset will outlive a nuclear fallout
Dread the day my Cloud 2s finally die... :(
Is it possible to buy a pair of the hyperx clouds 2 Kingston model now
Yeah agreed. Bought a pair of cloud 2s for my mum and tried them on, they sound okayish, but the earpads are a huge downgrade
I still have the original hyperx revolver S with a bit updated soundcard that came with hyperx alpha S but indeed i had the alpha wireless made by HP they sounded pretty good with bass department but i didnt like the wireless range and comfort so i had to return them
What a shame that hyperx is been bought by hp
It makes me sad! But maybe someday HP can bring them back to their original form
Hey can u review the new budget headset from Corsair which is Corsair HS65 Surround ? From what i heard, the mic is fantastic for it price plus it got Dolby Atmos 😁
It’s on my list! Reaching out to see if they can send me one first
I had a cloud 2 for 5-6 years before it finally gave in, Ordered a new pair because its by far the best headsrt ive ever used, As soon as i plugged it in i could have cried, Muffked volume, No sound to gunshots, Flat, Sounding like im in a tin can at times, Thought it was just me but I guess i bought the hp ones.
And the worst thing is retailers purposely keep the Kingston boxes on their website and mention of 7.1 in the description so people think they're still selling the originals.
Yeah I got duped for it aswell, Returned the 1 I bought from amazon, Went in store to buy a kingston 1 & returned it aswell, I have no idea why hp would destroy the headset.@@ragnnohab
with a proper amp (a40 mixamp gen 4 in my case) the new ones sound better imo, but the build quality definitely took a hit.
Ok im shopping around for new headphones. I had these astro a50s for the last 4 years and hated them but now they are finally broken and I really just want some goood headphones for way less than these expensive disappointments
sadly this was the only headset that the walmart i went to had i was so dissapointed when i opened the box and saw what they did to my precious baby T_T. so far i just dont like what they did to the headphones themselves havent had to use the mic but it just sounds so hallow? im not sure how to describe it but the old ones felt like they isolated sound better and especially with bass but i feel like i can hear external sounds more too even when playing games or listening to music. another reason why im dissapointed too is because they only changed the price by $20 it was $80 for these i feel like maybe $60 is a more fitting price.
Yeah I didn't watch this video in time. The HP version I got broke at the slide connection after just a couple months.
Oh no:( if they’re that new, you could probably get a refund from wherever you bought them!
To bad form me i ordered the new ones before i saw this video
Just got a pair wired as I was looking for a lighter headset and these came up as suggestion. Im pretty happy with the sound and design and all that, but either Im doing something wrong or they dont have a setting where my own voice goes thru the headset? So when Im talking on etc Discord it I can hear my own voice as if I had earplugs in - abit annoying if you are chatting alot during gaming 😢
this is the single gaming headset i recommend to everyone, had mine for years and they're still solid and working and sound wise i was able to compare it to other headsets and the difference is absolutely crazy.
What model do you have the hp ones or the Kingston ones ?
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better. It's no longer so bass-heavy, it's finer and better tuned, better for Multiplayer. I would go straight for the Cloud III as it has even more improvements. I recently bought it and am very satisfied. The build quality, the comfort, the sound balance and the micro are significantly better than the Cloud 2.
Hi Bax Tech, I've been looking for a new pair recently cause my old ones broke. How much should I value 7.1 surround sound in gaming?
Not much, it’s not a ton better than just normal settings. Also if you really need the extra surround you can use Dolby Atmos or windows sonic for headphones
Nice im very happy to see that my cloud x2 and cloud flight are the Kingston versions
Maybe the difference is just the pad wear?
Possible, but I doubt it would make that significant of a difference. The housings play a big part in the sound of a headset, and the HP’s are noticeably cheaper
I have astro a50 headset but they are not comfortable, do you have a suggestion for a headset that is comfortable and does not give me a headache
The cooler master MH751’s are one of my favs. Light clamping force, very neutral sound. The sound profile isn’t for everyone, but can be EQ’d to have more bass
What is a better option for the same price point? Looking to spend no more than $60 so I'm not expecting the best.
That's rather tight budget but doable if any Kingston Cloud 2s are still available in your country. They've officially run out of stocks in here and it costs $200 to get actually one. (As if there's anyone who would buy that lol)
What is the exact model of this one. I searched KHX-HSCP-GM reviews and bag is in the box. Is this a different model?
wow. I was gonna purchase another cloud alphas because mine are already 5 years old going 6, and the plastic is deteriorating not sure how long they will keep going. But i see that if i buy new ones then its not even gonna be the same quality anymore? i mean whats the point in buying then if i technically have the better version which is kingston, but old and on a limited lifespan. Maybe im just paranoic though and they will still keep going for years, but a piece of the plastic already broke off though it didnt do anything to how the headphones function
The plastic on the new ones has started fracturing after only 2 months of use for me. Don't get these.
Hi, what do you think are the best headphones with good sound and microphone for 60 to 80 dollars?
Two of the best in that price range are the SteelSeries Arctis 3’s and the Cooler Master MH752’s!
I dont know which ones i have but the ones i got seem to be very good in sound quality, and also very sufficient for music listening and possibly even audio production (in my super beginner opinion) so im guessing i got the old ones???
EDIT: i bought them in may of 2022 so maybe they are the new ones lololol
Probably the new ones if you got them that recently. But sound is subjective, so if you like them then rock with it! Just not my preferred listening experience
@@BaxTechYT yeah maybe ill try to find and check out the old ones to see if they have an even better EQ or whatever
it's easy. Look at the writings at the bottom of headband. The new one is "HP Inc". The old is "Kingston HyperX"
@@OneWingedVic oh shit it says kingston
i guess it was the old one all along somehow
Unfortunately the video is mostly nonsense. This soft plastic coating on the old headset becomes extremely sticky (plasticizer) after a while. I have the Cloud and Cloud 2 with sticky plastic. That's why the new headsets were replaced with better plastic without that disgusting soft plastic coating. The sound on the new headset is more balanced and therefore better for Multiplayer.
does anyone have the Fnatic headset? i figure its basically a Cloud II clone. The fnatic one has a nice looking earcup too